RAISING DISCIPLES FOR WORLD OUTREACH

 THE CHURCH IN A CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY (10) THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IN THE HOLY PLACE "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." - Daniel 12:11 I have read this passage by Daniel numerous times. I have struggled relentlessly to understand what it means. Even when I gained a little clarity, I concluded that it could only occur after the rapture of the saints. However, God recently revealed to me that it is an event that will happen in the church age. Hmmm... The 'reckless' church has tried every means to maintain its financial and structural prosperity by competing with other institutions. It is not surprising to note that today we have the richest church and richest pastors as rated by secular institutions. It is not an exaggeration to say that the church, in its pursuit to raise its financial and structural standards, has deviated from t...

 The world can't hate you, but it does hate me because I accuse it of doing evil. - John 7:7  Not all Christians are hated by the world. Some believers love the world and pray earnestly for people to love them.  Jesus explains that the world hated him because he accused it of doing evil. The world favors Christians who remain silent in the face of evil and are comfortable with wickedness.  For example, if you have a school and allow cheating during exams, give unfair grades, and offer special treatment to students whose parents are financially influential, your school will see a rise in its reputation.  The world only celebrates those who conform to its beliefs and demands, but those who aspire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will face persecution.  Some Christian pastors, musicians, artists, etc., create content that unbelievers find appealing because it caters to their indulgent and pleasure-seeking tendencies.  It is not uncommon nowadays to se...

 Understanding Missions(12) The Spiritual & Physical Well-being of a Missionary "We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). Any spiritual individual with a vision, burden, and undeniable call and assignment over their life needs an earthly vessel/clay jar to carry and dispense that burden. No matter how great and admirable our visions and burdens may be, we also need a strong and sustainable body (earthly vessels/clay jars) to carry them. A sickly and weak body will struggle to carry a strong desire to reach the world for Christ. A missionary is not expected to live extravagantly and flamboyantly. However, they must maintain a minimal diet to sustain their bodily health so they can endure in the work. One of our problems as missionaries is that we often invest all of our income into supposed kingdom work while neglecting our personal and bodily upkeep, as ...